Tank structure and lug therefor



Nov. 17. 1925- l1,562,218

w. w. FORD TANK ,STRUCTURE AND LUG lTHEREFOR Filed June 24, 1924 2sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR @MMM " Nov. 17, 1925.

w. w. FORD muc sTRucTuRE:4 AND Lua THEREFOB Filed June 24. V1924 2sheets-sheer 2 7 77 zzv'fmfoa (BJ mllcam Wig/ra? Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED s ifaras WILLIAM W. FORD, F PHILADELPHIA, vPENNSYLVANIA.

yTANK STRUCTURE AND LUG THEREFOR.

. Application med June 24, 1924. serial No. 722,024.

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, VVrLLiAM WV. Fono, acitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia `and State of Pennsylvania, have'invented `new and usefulImprovements in a Tank Structure and Lug Tlierefor, as set forth in theannexed specificationA My invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in a tank structure and lug therefor, and has for itsprimary object to provide means Aof different characters all acting tostrengthen the tank structure. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a sister tank lug as aconnection for the ends Vof the hoop whereby `a straight double pull maybe exerted onv said'hoop to facilitate the tightening thereof and assistin properly maintaining the hoop in position;

further object of this invention is to i' provide a tank lug of open orskeleton conatmospheric conditions as well as to protect it againstattacks by acid or gases which may be floating in the surroundingatmosphere thereby greatly increasing the life of the hoops.

With these ends in View, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated'by' the' claims.

Inl order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains, may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this application, in which Fig. l, is afragmentary sectional side elevation of aV tank having my improvementsapplied thereto.

Fig. 2', is an enlarged plan view of one of the tank rafter brackets.

Fig. 3, is a section at the line 3 3 of Fig.

Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the same.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged plan view of one of the tank lugs.

Fig. 6, is a side elevation thereof.-

Fig. 7, is an end View ofthe same` Fig. 8, is a section at the line 8-8of FigL.

In carrying out my invention as here ern'-V Vbodied, 2 represents a tankof any usual or well known construction such as are used for storingwater and the like in large quantities on tops or buildings and towers.The walls of such a tank are held together, supported or braced by anumber 'of hoops 3 formed from metal rods and having their ends threadedas at4 to receive the nuts 5:

In order to fasten the ends of a hoop in place and permit tightening ofthe same with a straight pull Ain opposite directions, I pro` videa'tank lug 6 the structural details of which are illustrated in F igs.V5 to 8 inclusive.

This tank lug is of VsisterWcO-nstru'ction including a body 7 the' innersurface fof which is arcuate longitudinally as indicated at 8 so as toapproximately correspond to the curvature of the tank walls. At each endof the bodyy but offset relative to each' other is a bearing surface 9having an opening l0 therethrough for the passage of an end ofr a hoop.In alignment with each opening l() but at the opposite end ofthe body isa recess 1l in which the hoop is seated so that one of these recesses isrectly beside each bearing surface.

Intermediate each bearing surface and its associated recess the body isapertured as indicated at 12 thereby providing two side walls 13 and anintermediate partition 14.

After the hoop has been placed about'the tank one end is inserted in 'arecess ll and then passed through the opening 10 in endwise alignmenttherewith while the opposite end of the hoop is inserted in the otherrecess l1 and passed through the other open#v ing 10. Next the nuts5-are screwed on the threaded projecting ends of the hoop until theyengage the bearing surfaces 9 after which the screwing of the nuts onthe ends of the hoop will draw the latter taut fromtwo oppositedirections so that a greater andV the strain on the hoop to twist orturnthev lug in one direction is counteracted.` by a As this ranking is ofthe f t the elements.V 1

In order to strengthen the upper edge of the tank and also provide meansfor holding the rafters of the tank top, I provide a tank y rafterbracket l5 the construction of which is shown in detail in Figs. 2 to 4inclusive,

wherein the lnumeral 16 denotes a stirrup con'iprising a bottom Wall l?,an end Wall ISand a pair of spaced side Walls l9,`the latter havingholes 2O therethrough. From the bottom Wall 17 of the stirrup projects atrunnion 2l which passes through a hole 22 in the step 23 of the hanger2li. Said hanger in addition to the step 23 includes a riser 25 from theupper end vof which projects a plate 26 adapted to overlie the upperedge of the tank Wa-ll, the latter preferably being notched toreceivethe plate 26 so that the upper surface of said plate will lie Hush Withthe extreme top `edge of the tank Wall.

' At .the outer end ofthe plate is formed a depending flange 2? adaptedto engage the outer surface of the V tank wall.

As will be readily noted the construction of thisrrafter bracket is suchthat when placed on the edge of a tank Wall it requires no fasteningmeans Vto hold it in position. Any desirable number of these bracketsmay be used, the same being placed in alignment on opposite sides of thetank so that the ends of a rafter 28 may be set in the stirrups,

these being swung to any angle on' their respective hangers tocompensate for the curvature of the tank, and When a rafter is in placebolts 29 are inserted in the holes 2G and passed through the ends ofsaid rafter Which .Will preventany tendency of the tank Walls to bulgeor flare outward. These bolts are held in place by nuts 30 screwed ontheir threaded ends. Y

The stirrup is held on the hanger by a Cotter pin 3l, or its equivalent,passing through the trunnion 2l beneath the stop 23.

After the -desired lnumber of rafters are in place the tank top 32 islaid thereon With its edges projecting over or on to the upper edge ofthe tank. Generall in tanks of this character a peaked cover is placedthereon to shed rain Water or otherwise `protect the tank against damageby the elements.v

Of course I do not Wish to be limited to the exactdetails constructionas herein shown as these may be varied Within the limits of the appendedclaims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invent-ion, What I claim as new anduseful is l. A structure comprising, in combina-v tion, a tank, hoopssurrounding said tank and having threaded meeting ends, a sister lug foreach hoop into which the threaded ends are inserted, nuts screwed onsaid threaded ends and engaging opposite ends of the sister lug,brackets including hangers to engage the upper edge of the tank, stirrups adjustably mounted on vthe hangers and positioned Within the tankkarafter having its ends seated inthe stirrups, and means to fasten theends of the rafter in the stirrups.

2. A tank lug` comprising a body having an arcuate face for coactionwith a tank, a bearing surface with an opening there- 'through atopposite ends ofthe body and out of alignment with each other,said bodyfurtherv having recesses in alignment With the opening in each bearingsurface and at the end of the body opposite the bearing surface withWhose opening it is in alignment and said body further having aperturesbetween the bearing surfaces and their respective recesses to permiteasv access to the inf terior of the lug. l

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto af fixed my signature.

yW'ILLIAM WV. FORD.

